Description
The outer surface of this portion of lung shows a 4 cm. area of fibrin. The cut surface shows that
the lung is solid and is mottled by yellowish areas which stand out from the grey-blue background.
Microscopically there was extensive intra-alveolar fibrosis and thickening of the alveolar walls
with capillary congestion and intramural haemorrhage.
History
The patient was delivered of twins approximately a month before she died. Before
delivery there was a history of toxaemia; after delivery there were retained products of conception;
she developed a disseminated intravascular coagulation and infarction of the small intestine. She
was treated for septicaemia and disseminated intravascular coagulation but developed respiratory
failure. Death occurred in respiratory failure. This is one of the manifestations of the lung changes
in shock due to a number of causes. See Journal of Clinical Pathology, 1980, 33; 891.